STUDENTS Kerri Ann Roderick and James White have swapped Coleg Gwent’s Usk campus for New Zealand.

Kerri Ann, aged 20 from Risca and James, 19 from Caerleon, left their homes at the weekend to begin a one-year work placement in Mata Mata on South Island with Marvin Farm Services.

After two years learning about the farming industry in Britain as students on the college’s National Diploma course in Countryside Management, they are about to get to grips with the industry in New Zealand.

The invitation to spend a year placement travelling around New Zealand managing and assisting on diary farms came after the Usk campus was featured in a farming magazine.

Marvin Farms were looking for students who were fully experienced in milking and driving tractors and called to see if any students were interested.

Kerri Ann and James jumped at the chance and flew out to Auckland on Sunday to begin their adventure.

“I’m so excited, but nervous at the same time,” said Kerri Ann. “I’ve never been to New Zealand before, so it’s going to be all new for me. It’s going to be a fantastic experience.”

James said: “I can’t wait to just get there and start putting my skills into practice. It’s going to be very different from the farms I’m used to, but I’m looking forward to the new challenge.”

Alyson Moon, head of the School for Landbased Studies at Usk Campus, said it would be a once in a lifetime work placement. “We wish them all the very best,” she said.